9 Iconic Feature Films Shot With (Almost) No Crew

Many groundbreaking feature films have been made with no crew. Or with a skeleton crew of just 3 – 5 people. While doing research for my own one-man-band feature film, I re-discovered many of these unconventionally produced features. Today, I want to spotlight some of these great films. My hope is this will inspire up and coming filmmakers....

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The Definitive Aspect Ratio & Resolution Guide For Video: 2K, 4K, 6K, 8K & Every Other Major Format

Below, you will find a detailed aspect ratio and resolution guide. Among other things, you can use it to help identify which resolution to use in post-production when setting up a new project or timeline. For example – if you want to master your project to 2.39:1 aspect ratio in 4K, you can use this guide to find the correct resolution settings:...

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5 Essential Settings For The Perfect Color Grade

I’ve written a lot about creative color grading here on the blog, but today I want to cover the most essential technical settings you should consider before mastering any completed project. It’s easy to become hyper-focused on the creative aspects of grading, and lose sight of the technical side. But to create the best final product, you really...

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PODCAST: How To Grow An Audience Of 700,000 Filmmakers With The Founders Of Film Up

Joining me today are the founders of Film Up – Aryeh Hoppenstein and Christina Chironna. After meeting in college, Aryeh and Christina partnered to create a business that would fuse their love of filmmaking with their passion for business. The result was FilmUp.co, a powerful resource that automates the film production process, from crewing to...

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17 Of The Best Filmmakers To Follow On Twitter Right Now

If you’re looking for the best filmmakers to follow on Twitter, I’ve listed some amazing accounts in this article that you won’t want to miss. Over the years, I’ve been able to learn a lot from other creatives through Twitter, while sharing quite a bit myself too. Twitter can be a crazy place (even in the best of times), but following the right...

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PODCAST: How To Raise $300K+ For Your Indie Feature Using Crowd Equity

In this episode I am joined by three amazing guests for a roundtable style discussion about crowd-equity fundraising for indie films.Our guests are: lawyer-turned film investor Michael Rekola, executive producer and actor Desiree Staples, and Ryan Pierce from WeFunder’s growth team.This in depth discussion covers tactics for raising funds through crowd-equity...

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PODCAST: SXSW Director Joële Walinga On Crafting Her Experimental Documentary Feature “Self Portrait”

In this episode I am joined by Joële Walinga, director of the SXSW 2022 documentary feature “Self Portrait”. This is a brilliant experimental feature comprised entirely of footage collected from surveillance cameras, and produced with a highly unique creative process. Throughout the interview, Joële gives us a behind the scenes look into her...

Apr 2022

How To Make Digital Footage Look Like Film: Camera Choice, Color Workflow, Film Grain & More

Making digital footage look like film is entirely possible with the right tools and workflow. It’s all about finding the right balance in camera choice, lighting, color, and texture, so you can get the most authentic looking final product.I have been through the digital to film conversion process many times on client projects, my own films, and to create...

Apr 2022

Recording Location Sound As A “One-Man-Band”: Gear Breakdown, Technical Workflow, And Creative Benefits

Right now I am in the midst of directing a “one-man-band” feature film experiment that requires I record location sound by myself – without any crew. This is something I’ve never done before, and had to develop a new approach from the ground up.My goal from the get-go was to keep things as simple as possible on set. I am DP’ing the film too (in addition...

Apr 2022

PODCAST: Shooting A No-Budget Feature Film As A One-Man-Band

In this solo episode, I share a behind the scenes look into my latest feature film, which is being shot with no crew and a highly unconventional workflow. I decided to experiment with this new filmmaking paradigm to test my own creative limits, and show that a great film can be produced on any level, regardless of budget or resources.Throughout the...

Apr 2022